Debates on the PR list

No sooner has the PR lists been officially announced, controversies have started to surface. In my home town of Janakpur alone, there’s at least three serious controversies.

Ramchandra Jha’s resignation from UML central committee is significant in that he is UML’s Madhesi guy. He resigned saying that his suggestions were not considered during the selection process. Inside sources say that it is because his daughter was not given the nomination, while Raghubir Mahaseth’s wife got the nomination. Raghubir Mahaseth was a candidate from Dhanusa 4 for UML. It should also be noted that 14 people in UML’s central committee have filed notes of dissent in the selection process. One of my personal favorites left out – Sahana Pradhan. But then UML has decided not to send any polit bureau members.

Another incident concerns the Maoists in Janakpur who attacked their own party office. The reason was that a Maoist martyr’s wife, Tara Devi Mahato, who was Matrika Yadav’s choice, was not nominated. People say that this incident reflects the divide within the Maoists between Matrika Yadav and Prabhu Sah (who won in Rautahat 3). Clear signs of another important Madhesi dynamic in the days to come. Prabhu Sah will seek more power since he managed to win a tough seat, whereas Matrika chose to stay at the sidelines. On hindsight, he should have contested, because the Maoists did carry Dhanusa 6 – where his village is.

The third interesting PR controversy in Dhanusa is about TMDP ideologue Dr. Vijay Singh’s nomination. The EC rejected his name saying that he holds a government post -chief of Janakpur Zonal Hospital. But he says he resigned a year ago but the Health Ministry never did anything about it. He also says that there were no complaints from anyone, even the EC, throughout the period when his nomination was filed. Typical government conspiracy, he believes. I agree that if he has indeed resigned, the inefficiency of Nepali bureaucracy is not his fault and he should be allowed in the CA.

Three important cases in Dhanusa only. I wonder how it is in other areas.